News
from Sheridan School District No. 2Contact:
Mark Stevens
[email protected]
303-495-8699
(mobile) • 720-328-5488 (office)
News
Release
July
26, 2018
Unanimous Vote Sends $3 Million Mill Levy Question to November
Ballot
The
Sheridan Board of Education this week unanimously supported a resolution that
places a $3 million ballot question on the November 2018 ballot.
The
resolution states that the money will address four priorities:
- Improve
safety and security infrastructure and operations to be able to maintain
safer buildings for students and staff;
- Repair
leaking roofs and other district facilities and provide general
maintenance in school buildings;
- Improve
and upgrade technology infrastructure and operations in schools to support
21st Century learning opportunities and achievement for Sheridan students;
and
- Make
salaries and wages of district personnel competitive with those of other
school districts in the metropolitan area.
Chief Financial Officer
Kristen Colonell told board members (Tuesday, July 24) that raising the additional
$3 million would increase taxes on a home with an assessed valuation of
$200,000 by $15.44 per month and taxes on a home with an assessed valuation of
$300,000 by $23.16 per month. (Assessed valuations are not market
prices.)
The
discussion about the mill levy proposal was held during the board work session.
Sheridan Educator Association president Peter Morris attended both the work
session and the regular meeting. He spoke at both meetings and said teachers
will get behind the proposal and support the mill levy campaign.
Sally
Daigle said the capital improvements are a strong selling point. “I say the
capital stuff is as important as the salaries,” she said. “The community
deserves to be able to go to one of the beautiful musicals (at the high school)
with beautiful talent without having one whole section of seats sectioned-off
(due to a leaking roof).”
New Faces
During
the work session, Superintendent Sandos took a few minutes to introduce three
new administrators—Alice Terry Elementary School principal Diego Romero, SOAR
Academy principal Todd Legge, and Assessment Director Maegan Daigler.
Beyond Textbooks
Sheridan
schools will begin using Beyond Textbooks, an online resource and collaborative
community created by teachers and district leaders. It is used by more than 100
school districts in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois and New Mexico. In all,
some 14,000 teachers participate in Beyond Textbooks, which provides an entire
program of curriculum development, instructional improvement, student
assessment, and multi-level interventions.
Superintendent
Sandos told the board that Beyond Textbooks provides more than 50,000 resources
to teachers and allows teachers to spend more time focusing on whether students
grasped and learned what was being taught.
“I’m
really excited about this,” said Sandos. “I think it’s going to help teachers
and principals move to looking at instruction—what we can focus on now is the
delivery of the lesson itself. Our principals will have better conversations
(with teachers).”
The
work with Beyond Textbooks requires a much smaller investment than a textbook
adoption might, added Superintendent Sandos, and includes training and ongoing
collaboration with the Beyond Textbooks community.
Jeffco Virtual Academy
Superintendent
Sandos announced that Sheridan is working with Jeffco Schools Superintendent
Jason Glass on an agreement that would allow Sheridan students to access high
level mathematics, foreign language and other coursework through Jeffco Virtual
Academy. The agreement would come at no more cost to Sheridan students
than what Jeffco students pay. If all goes well, the program might be rolled
out with the second semester of the 2018-2019 school year. “I’m really excited
about this,” said Sandos. “I think that’s really going to enhance our offerings
in the high school and allow us to add more depth and meat to our program.”
South Suburban Parks and Recreation
The
long-term leases with South Suburban Parks and Recreation are being
reconsidered. Superintendent Sandos told board members he believes the current
arrangements are not equitable for Sheridan students. “We feel like there can
be something better,” he said. The current leases allow members of South
Suburban to access tennis courts, pickle ball courts, and the baseball
fields.
Consent Agenda
All
consent items were approved.
In
addition, Polly Plancarte was appointed as the district’s Designated Election
Official.
About
Sheridan School District 2
Located
southwest of Denver, Sheridan School District 2 seeks high-level post-secondary
options for all students through continuous improvement of quality instruction.
More: www.ssd2.org